Conveyer cleaner



June 15, 1937.

W. M, PUCKETT CONVEJER CLEANER Filed Apri-1 7, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 June l5, 1937. w. M. PUCKETT coNvEYER CLEANER Filed April 7, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor NHHHHWWUI and Atto'rneys `lune 15, 1937.

w. M. PucKr-:TT 2,083,864

CONVEYER CLEANER Filed April '7, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 N Inventm' Jima Attorney;

Patented June 15, 1937 NITED STATES Arai" oFFIE CONVEYER CLEANER Application April 7,

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in conveyor cleaners for use particularly in bakeries, candy factories and other establishments handling food stuffs but it will be understood, of course, that a cleaner constructed in accordance with the present invention may be used for any purpose for which it may be found adapted and desirable.

An important object of the invention is to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a

device of the aforementioned character embodying a novel construction and arrangement through the medium of which both sides of an endless conveyer may be thoroughly cleaned, thus promoting sanitation as well as increasing the general efficiency and life of the conveyor.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide a conveyer cleaner embodying rotary brushes operatively engaged with opposite sides n of the conveyer belt, together with novel means for adjusting said brushes to compensate for wear and to regulate the pressure of said brushes against the conveyer belt.

Other objects of the invention are to provide g5 a conveyer cleaner of the character described which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, highly eiiicient and reliable in use, compact, light in weight and which may be manufactured and installed at low cost.

0 All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference desig- 35 nate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:-

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the invention, showing the same installed for operation 'on a conveyer,

Figure 2 is a view in vertical transverse section through the conveyer, taken substantially on the line 2 2 of Figure 1, showing the cleaner in end elevation,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in vertical sec- 45 tion through an upper side portion of the invention, taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a detail view in vertical section, showing the manner of rotatably securing the 5o adjusting screws in the plates through the medium of which said screws are connected to the slidable bearings.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view through one of the brush shafts, taken substantially on the 55 line 5-5 of Figure 2.

1936, Serial No. 73,171

Figure 6 is a detail View in side elevation of one of the frame members.

Figure '7 is a detail View in top plan of the member shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a detail View in horizontal section,

taken substantially on the line 8--8 of Figure 1.

Figure 9 is a detail view in plan of one of the bars in which the adjusting screws are threadedly mounted.

Figure 10 is a detail View in top plan of one of the slidable bearings.

Figure l1 is a detail view in plan of one of the adjusting screw attaching plates.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a pair of chest frame members which are designated generally by the reference numeral I. Each frame member I includes a bar 2 having openings 3 at spaced points therein for the passage of bolts or the like l for securing the bars longitudinally on the stationary side members 5 of an endless conveyer, said endless conveyer being designated generally by the reference numeral 6. The conveyer i9 further includes an endless belt 'I of the slat type. Formed integrally with the end portions of the bars 2 and extending upwardly and downwardly therefrom are pairs of guides 8. Integral braces 9 extend between the innermost guides 3 and the bars 2.

Metallic bars IB extend between the free ends of the pairs of guides 8, said bars Il) including bifurcations II on their ends for receiving the guides therebetween. Suitable bolts I2 secure the bars IE to the guides 8. Slidably mounted in each pair of guides 8 is a bearing I3 in which shafts I@ are journaled. Adjusting screws I5 are threadedly mounted in the connecting bars IG and have one end rotatably secured in plates lil which are mounted on the bearings I3. Lock nuts Il are pro-vided for the adjusting screws I5. Heads i8 are provided on the free ends of the adjusting screws I5 to facilitate actuating said adjusting screws.

Fixed on the shafts Il are substantially cylindric-al brushes which are designated generally by the reference numeral I9. The brushes I9 include tubular cores 2G through which the shafts lll extend and in which bristles 2I are secured. As best seen in Figure 5 of the drawings, the end portions of the cores are split longitudinally to provide bendable segments which are clamped around the shafts lll by suitable split clamps 22. The aforementioned longitudinal splits in the cores 20 are designated by the reference numeral The shafts I4 project beyond the bearings I3 at one end and fixed on said shafts are grooved pulleys 24. A crossed endless belt 25 is trained over the pulleys 24 for actuating the brushes I9 in unison in opposite directions. A suitable tightener 26 is provided for the belt 25. Another pulley 21 is xed on one of the shafts I4 for receiving a drive belt from the conveyer B for actuating the brushes I9.

It is thought that the operation of the invention will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. The brushes I9 are engaged with the top and bottom of the slatted belt 1 and said brushes rotate in the opposite direction from that in which said belt is traveling. That is, with the belt 'I traveling from left to right as viewed in Figure 1 of the drawings, the upper brush I9 travels in a clockwise direction and the lower brush I9 rotates in a counterclockwise direction. Through the medium of the screws I5 the brushes I9 may be conveniently adjusted as desired toward or away from the conveyer belt l. It will thus be seen that an apparatus has been provided through the medium of which both sides of the slatted conveyer belt may be thoroughly cleansed.

It is believed that the many advantages of a conveyer cleaner constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood, and although a preferred embodiment of the invention is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within theV scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:-

1. A cleaner for endless conveyers comprising a pair of substantially Z-shaped brackets, each bracket including a longitudinally extending member rigidly mounted on theA conveyer, pairs of guides projecting laterally in opposite directions from the end portions of said member, bearings slidably mounted in the pairs of guides, shafts journaled in said bearings above and below the conveyer, brushes xed on said shafts and operatively engaged with the top and bottom of the conveyer, means connecting the shafts together for rotation in unison in opposite directions, and means for slidably adjusting the bearings in the guides for shifting the brushes toward or away from the conveyer,

2. A cleaner of the class described for endless conveyers comprising substantially Z-shaped stationary frame members mounted on opposite sides of the conveyer, and including pairs of integral guides projecting in opposite directions from the end portions of said frame members, bars extending between the free end portions of the pairs of guides, bearings slidably mounted between the pairs of guides, shafts journaled in the bearings above and below the conveyer, means connecting the shafts together for rotation in unison in opposite directions, screws threadedly mounted in the bars and rotatably secured to the bearings for shifting said bearings toward or away from the conveyer, and substantially cylindrical brushes fixed on the shafts and operatively engaged With the conveyer,

WILLARD M. PUCKE'I'IY 

